Oops
by Melody Warner
Summary: He didn’t mean to see... but honestly! She was being so careless! Now he knows who she is... Enjoy a simple, fun, and hopefully more realistic version of The Big Reveal.


My heart beats faster as I zip across the rooftops of Paris. Will I get to my room in time? Yes, I will. I reach the balcony just as I de-transform.

"That was a close call," says Tikki.

"No kidding! I couldn't just not help that lady and her baby though. They would've been run over by that runaway bus! " I say, handing her a cookie out of my purse. She chews it contentedly, and I descend from the balcony into my room to get ready for bed.

Chat_

I leave the Eiffel Tower just after Ladybug. I didn't use my cataclysm, so I don't have to worry about de-transforming for a while. Home hasn't been so fun lately, so I decide to hang around for a bit. Somehow, I end up at the Dupain Cheng's, and I see something I totally didn't mean to see. I mean really, if she asks, it was a complete and total accident. You are all my witnesses.

Ladybug reaches Marinette's balcony just before she de-transforms. I try to look away, but it's too late. Ladybug is... Marinette?

Okay, I'd like to say that I always knew or that I've always had a thing for Marinette so now I'm really happy to find out my true loves are the same person. But honestly, I'm freaking out. I mean, what the heck?!? Marinette just said she had a crush on Chat Noir the other day and that whole thing with her dad, and the rose, and the giant rose stalk happened. Now I find out that the same girl that confessed to such consuming love for me is really the same girl I've been shot down by as Chat Noir a million times. I find out that the super clumsy, kind but anxious, and overall awkward girl that sits behind me every day in class is the super awesome, confident, athletic, and witty girl I fight evil bad guys with. I mean, don't get me wrong, I always thought Marinette was kind, capable, and really brave for standing up to Chloe and stuff, but these two girls are miles apart in personality. I am confused.

I get closer to her window and peer through. Not in a stalker sort of way. It's more like a concerned friend sort of peering. She's talking to a kwami! She is also smearing purple stuff all over her face with her hair tied up in the ugliest bun I've ever seen, but that is unimportant (who looks good when they're getting ready for bed?). I stare at the kwami. He or she is Plagg's size but resembles a ladybug. She (I'm pretty sure it's a she) is red with black spots and...

"Chat Noir!" screams Marinette and she frantically wipes the stuff off her face and rips the hair elastic out of her hair.

"Hey Bugaboo. Ugh! I mean Ladynette! I mean Marinette! It's not what you think. I… I was coming to get baking lessons and I... "

"You know, don't you?"

Marinette_

One minute you are innocently washing your face, the next minute you see your super hero partner peering at you from outside your window with an alarmed look on his face, you listen to him babble some excuse, and you realize that since he is uncharacteristically nervous, he knows.

Then you want to die.

I mean, it's bad enough he knows my identity, but to see me in the middle of my face routine? Boundaries have been crossed.

"You know, don't you?" I say and I try not to sound upset, but it ends up coming out kind of pathetic.

"Know?!? Know what?!? I mean I was just following up with your dad. I've decided that baking is for me..."

"Chat."

"... my dream career in fact! Forget super hero work..."

"Chat Noir."

"... I truly have a new passion and..."

"Kitty!"

"Uhh, yeah I know. I swear I didn't mean to though!"

"Yeah, alright. Hold on a second. Why don't you come inside." He climbs in and I finish washing off my face and quickly run my fingers through my hair.

"Obviously I didn't want this to happen," I say "especially while I was washing my face." I laugh, he awkwardly half chuckles. "Why don't you tell me from the beginning how you came upon discovering my alter ego?" It's funny, because I'm normally more anxious as just Marinette, but being around Chat seems to bring out the more Ladybug side of me.

"Well, I was kinda having a bad day, and ever since you confessed to loving me it's been nice to be near your bakery. I don't love you or anything. I still have a thing for Ladybug. Well, it's more than a thing really, but anyway... It just feels nice to be around such a warm family. I came, I saw, by accident, and I decided to get a closer look."

"Ohhh... well about the whole confessing my love thing..."

"Yeah, could you clear that up. I'm super confused. I mean you rejected me as Ladybug, but..."

"Yeah! Yeah, yeah, I get the confusion. Honestly, it was a misunderstanding on my part. When you came to my balcony with baby August, I thought you were about to figure out my identity, so I lied to prevent that from happening. Well, lying is a bit of an exaggeration. I didn't mean to be dishonest, I just panicked. Sorry."

"No, that's okay. I mean it would have been nice if you liked me back, but no problem. Although... I can't believe you went through all of that trouble for nothing! First of all, I wasn't even close to guessing your identity. I thought you were some crazy fan. Second of all, I ended up finding out your identity anyway! I mean, your dad got akumatized, because of your effort to keep me from finding out who you are. Don't you think it's ironic?"

"Which part? It could all be classified as ironic. And I wish you would take this seriously. My dad could have gotten hurt!"

"Exactly! That's what's ironic. This whole time we've kept our identities hidden to protect ourselves and our families. But in reality we were just hurting ourselves and those around us more by keeping secrets."

"Oh, I never thought about it like that."

"Well, Bugaboo, I am here for a reason. I'm a bit more than just your love interest side-kick."

"You're not my love interest, Kitty."

"That's what I just said! While we're on the topic though, who is?"

"Who is what?"

"Your love interest?"

Chat/Adrien_

"What kind of question is that?!?" she yells, and her face turns pink. Wow, she's cute. And yeah, I guess my question kinda came out of nowhere. Still...

"That night on the rooftop, with the candles and everything, you said you loved someone else. Who is he? I mean you said you couldn't tell me, because of our secret identities and stuff, but now that cat is out of the bag (pun totally intended by the way). So, who is this guy?"

"N-noooo,n-nooo, no! I can't tell you that!"

"Why not Bugaboo. You can trust me."

"Well, yeah, but..."

"And I already know you're biggest secret..."

"Yes, but, I- I can't just..."

"And it might feel nice to tell someone."

"Well, I have told people like my best friends and stuff..."

"And your super hero partner who helps you save the city on a regular basis, has saved your life, and who you've saved the life of several times doesn't count as a best friend?"

"No, of course you're my friend."

"So tell me."

"But..."

"Tell me."

"I can't..."

"Tell me, tell me, tell me..."

"Please..."

"TELL MEEEEEEE..."

"ENOUGH!!! You can't just manipulate me like that! What kind of partner does that?!? How am I supposed to trust you when you act like this!!!"

I stop, she's right. I'm an idiot.

"Sorry, you're right."

"I forgive you." But her face still hold a look of exasperation and annoyance.

"You know, I didn't mean to get so crazy. It's just when I think of you with someone else... I don't know... I guess I become a _wild cat_." I raise my eyebrow and she laughs.

"Trust me, I get the feeling," she says.

"You do?" I ask.

Now we are sitting on a couch in her room. The afternoon is turning to night, and it will be sunset soon. Her room is nice. It's small, but peaceful. It's very creative too. It looks like she's handmade almost everything in here.

There are still pictures of me (as Adrien) on her walls. I remember when I first saw them, on that special baking thing with Jagged Stone, that they shot at her house. I cannot express how surprised I was to see so many pictures of me around her room. I only became more surprised when I visited her room that same day as Chat Noir and saw she even had pictures of me under her bed! Once I got over my initial shock, I was able to think about what these pictures really meant... She didn't hate me! By that I mean, the incident finally convinced me that Marinette and I were real friends.

Let me explain, when we first met she hated me for something Chloe did. At first, I was too shy and uneducated in the art of talking to people to penetrate her icy glare long enough to explain what actually happened. Nino helped motivate me to apologize to her. After my apology, I gave her an umbrella in the rain. From that point on she treated me like a friend and I saw her as one of my very first friends. Still, I always felt like she kinda still didn't like me for one reason or another and only hung around me for Alya and Nino. I mean she always got so flustered and I figured I made her nervous, because she disliked me. After seeing those pictures though, even though she explained that she only put them up for her love of fashion, it made me feel like we really were friends. I mean, it's not like you'll put pictures of someone in your room, fashion guru or not, if you hate them. Finally confident in our friendship, I was even able to tease her about the whole situation, and I invited her to come to photo shoots so she could see the fashion business in person.

Her computer is under her bunk bed. I remember practicing for the gaming tournament here. She's like the last person you would expect to be a gamer, but she ended up being twenty times better than me and super competitive. That's just another instance in which she surprised me.

Now, here we are, on her couch, and she has surprised me yet again. She's ladybug! I could also go into all the times she surprised me or amazed me as Ladybug too, but we'd be here all day.

"Yeah, I get the feeling," She says, briniging me back to the conversation. What were we talking about? Oh yeah, she was telling me she understood what it was like to be jealous of someone who has the attention of your love interest. She continues, " When Adrien liked Kagami I... Oh! I didn't mean to!!!"

What? She didn't mean to...? Ohhhhh... no way. You've got to be kidding.

I say, "Adrien? As in, Adrien Agreste? He's the guy you have a thing for???"

"Noooooooo…"

I raise my eyebrow.

"Okay, yes. But not just because I've seen him in catalogues and I'm a shallow fangirl! He's in my class at school! He's... well he's amazing."

"Wow."

"I'm sorry Chat. I'm not trying to be mean. You're amazing too, it's just that..."

"No, no. That's not what I mean, it's just. Well, this is just so incredibly ironic."

"What?"

"I mean really... it's like something straight out of a cheesy romance novel."

"Hey! If anyone's romantic fantasy is from a cheesy romance, it's yours! I'm not the one who fell "in love" with some girl under a mask! I'm not the one..."

"Oh, M'Lady... I'm not criticizing you," After hearing her confession of love my confidence is somewhat boosted and I can't help but add, " This situation is just so purrrfect..." I play with the end of her hair and say, "My Bugaboo... in love with m-"

I'm cut off by a swift punch in the gut. Marinette stands over me and yells,

"What the heck is wrong with you! Stupid, stupid, kitty! I tell you I'm in love with Adrien and you start flirting with me?!?! Why, in any universe, would you think that's okay?!?! Honestly, I can-"

"Sorry, sorry, sorry! You're right, that was really dumb." And it totally was really dumb of me. So much for being romantic…

"It's just, I don't think you fully understand what I mean," I plead to her, but she still staring at me with mistrustful eyes, "Ugh! You know what, can I please just tell you my identity?!?"

"What? What does that have to do with-"

"I think we're ready, and like we said, it seems keeping secrets has only hurt people right?

"Well, I guess. But, wait! I tell you my crush, you flirt with me, I yell at you, you apologize, and now you want to tell me your identity?"

"That's about right," I say with a signature Chat Noir smirk.

Her face breaks, and I can tell she wants to laugh. Still, she looks conflicted so I add, "Just trust me, Bugaboo. It'll all make sense, I promise."

She addresses her kwami (who has been very quiet throughout the whole time we've been conversing and who I still need to be introduced to) "Tikki, what do you think?"

"I think it's okay. You guys have waited quite a while. Now that half the deed is already done, I don't see why you can't. But if Master Fu asks, I told you not to do it," the kwami says with a wink, and I swear I would kiss her if I could and if it wouldn't be exceedingly creepy and weird to kiss a kwami.

"Okay, go ahead Chat," Marinette says with a half smile.

"All right!" I'm ecstatic, "Get ready for this to get even more ironic. Plagg, claws in!"

I de-transform, feeling the tingly wind rush around me. I say, "Hey, Marinette. Surprised?"

"A-Adrien! Surprised?!? Yeah, I thick, ah, I mean I _think_ that's a good word for what I'm feeling! You are Chat Noir?!?"

"Hey, hey calm down. Yeah, it's just me. Chat Noir," I try to fill the awkward tension with, "By the way, I totally understand why you got slash _get _so flustered around me now. I'm such an idiot! I thought you stuttered because you didn't like me, but I guess it was really just because you _liked_ me. I'm a total dummy, right?"

"You, a dummy? Yeah, yeah... wait! Wait! I mean no, no, you're a cat! I mean..."

"Marinette! It's just me," Can I just add that it's totally adorable that the superheroine of Paris is getting this flustered in front of plain old Adrien Agreste?

She takes a few breaths and says, "Tikki, spots on," and she transforms in front of me. As ladybug she says, "Wow. You weren't kidding when you said things were going to get more ironic. This is crazy!"

"Agreed," says Plagg, rudely jumping into the conversation, "Hey, baker girl, got any camembert?"

"Plagg! Don't be rude!" I say.

Ladybug laughs. "Yeah, I do," she says. "It's down in the kitchen. My parents are gone, so you can go downstairs and help yourself."

"Woohooo! Thanks Ladybug."

"No problem, Plagg. You know I'm always here for ya."

"You guys know each other?" I ask when he leaves.

"We've come across each other a few times. Anyway though, back to what I was saying. I can't believe that it was you the whole time. I've... I've had a thing for you since the umbrella incident. Well more than a thing really..."

"Wait, before you go on, why did you have to change into Ladybug to talk to me?" I feel bad for interrupting her, because she now looks almost dejected, but I still think my question is an important one, so I stare with the best unrelenting gaze I can muster until she answers.

"Adrien, I can barely get a few words out to you as Marinette. I get way too nervous, because I really like you."

Wow, she really, really likes me?

"I'm better than I was,"

That's true. When our friendship first started she couldn't even talk to me in complete sentences,

"but I figured it would be easier to say everything I need to say, when I feel more brave,"

Oh, so she feels more brave as Ladybug? That's something I can definitely relate to,

"When I'm done, I'll change back to me, and maybe I'll feel more comfortable."

"Sounds good," I say and smile, trying to encourage her to keep talking.

"Okay, I've liked you for a long time. You've been my crush for a while, and I'm sorry I've never told you. Also...," She looks almost more nervous now, "I want you to know that even as Chat, you were special to me,"

What?

"I mean obviously, I never got romantic feelings towards Chat, because I was loyal to Adrien,"

Oh, yeah, yeah of course...

"However, knowing that Chat and Adrien are the same person, well maybe this sounds crazy, but it's like I knew all along subconsciously and I realize I had feelings for both sides of you and..."

"Yeah, yeah, I get what you mean! I feel the same way. I'll admit, as usual, you're way faster than me. When I first found out who you were, I was completely and utterly shocked. However, after talking and putting pieces together, well, I get what you mean. I never had a crush on Marinette, because I had Ladybug, but now that I know that Marinette and Ladybug are the same person, It's like I'm remembering all the times Marinette acted exactly like Ladybug or Ladybug was like Marinette, and I feel like an idiot for not realizing the truth sooner."

"Yes, exactly! I'm glad you get it. I mean, as Adrien you are a bit more subdued, but the more I think about it, the more I see that Adrien and Chat Noir fit really well together as one person,"

Awe, she's so cute.

"Okay here I go. I'm gonna transform back." She raises her eyebrow, as if asking for permission. Imagine that! Ladybug, actually asking my permission! I nod my head to encourage her.

"Tikki, spots off!... Hey, Adrien."

"Hey, Marinette."

There's a long silence before she asks,

"Do you want to catch a movie sometime?"

Wow, okay. I guess we're just going straight into it.

"Aren't I supposed to ask you that?" I tease.

"I don't know," she responds, "I think we both know that I've always taken charge in our partnership."

"I beg to differ, I may let you lead in combat, but who's the flirty, romantic one?"

"Hey! Kitty, I can be flirty and romantic!" Her cheeks are flaming red.

"Is that what you call the constant stuttering? Or are you referring to all the times you pushed Chat Noir into danger? Or maybe you just mean the time you asked Adrien to get you that constipation medicine? Or how about-"

"Okay, okay, enough! Whatever!" She says this in mock anger, punching me softly on my arm. Might I add that her face is practically a tomato now? Then she asks "Can we please just go see a movie?"

I think about it, then realize there's probably no way my father would ever let me go. I had to sneak out of the house last time I wanted to see a movie. So, I say...

"Well, I don't think..."

"Oh, that's okay, it's okay. No worries, I just thought..." She looks dejected again, and just as her cheeks were losing their red color, they are flaming once again.

"Marinette! That's not what I meant. I want to go, it's just I don't know if my dad will let me."

She calms down a bit and looks up at me with a half smile.

"Oh, well what if we go hang on a rooftop as Ladybug and Chat Noir. I mean, I don't want you to disobey your dad, so you should still ask to go out, but maybe a rooftop would be more our speed and..."

"M-Lady, that sounds purrrfect."

"Cool," She gives me a dazzling smile as she says this. Gosh, she so cute! Are we really going on a date?!?

"Cool," I say, because honestly, that's the best word I can currently think of for how I feel about this plan to go on a date with the girl of my dreams. Really! The girl of my dreams offers to go for a rooftop picnic, no doubt remembering the time she stood me up and broke my heart, yet all I can say is _cool_?!?Again, so much for being romantic.

THE END


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